My 3 month old doesn't eat very much, at times

[tmhill]

I just switch my 3 month old permanently from breast to alemintum.  He was having sever diarrhea for over a month.  We tried everything to keep him on the breast, but it didn't work. 

We switched to formula a week or so ago.  Then back to the breast to see if some changes worked.  They didn't and we just switched to formula again.  We started back on Tuesday (it's not Thursday).

He isn't eating very much, at times.  He has been waking two times in the night to feed.  Usually between the 11:00 and 1:00 hours and again between the 3:30 and 5:00 am hours.  He eats a good four ounces each time.

Sometimes during the day though he will only eat 1 oz at a time or less for a feeding.

Today this was his schedule.  I'm still trying to get him on something predictable - naps and eating are screwing me up:
7:00 wake/eat 3 oz
7:20 - 8:20 play
8:20 - 9:20 sleep
9:20 woke - acted like he was hungry, only ate 2 oz
10:00 - 11:15 play
11:20 - 11:40 sleep
11:40 - 12:20 used shh-pat to try to lull him back to sleep (didn't really work)
12:20 ate only 1/2 an oz.
12:20 - 1:20 - shopping with mom
1:25 - 2:15 sleep in the car
2:20 wake and acted like he was hungry ate 2
2:30 - 3:15 play
3:15 eat 1 oz
3:30 asleep again.

When I was putting him to sleep I thought I heard his stomach growl, but I had tried to give him some of his bottle before I put him down, only because I though he was acting like he was hungry. 

The hard part is that one of his sleep cues is that he starts sucking on his hand and other thing ferociously.  Usually it's not hard to determine that it's sleep time, unless he hasn't eaten very much.  Sometimes I think that is why his naps are short.

Her certainly isn't loosing weight.  He weighed 15 lbs at the doctor yesterday.  He got his two month shots.  We had to wait because he was so sick for a while. 

So, is there something I can do differently?
Would the shots effect his eating?
How long do children/babies feel sick/grumpy due to shots?
Any other advise?
Thanks,
KTH

[* Paula *]

Hi,

What size teats are you using?  It could be that your lo is bored with the flow, that is he is not drinking too much.

Have you tried any other brands of formula?

Also do you dreamfeed?  The dreamfeed can help eliminate your lo waking in the middle of the night.

Have you had a look at this link - From Breast to Bottle the Baby Whisperer way?

https://babywhispererforums.com/index.php?topic=67858.0

HTH

Paula x

[tmhill]

We have to use the Alumentim because he's had so much trouble with diarreah and allergies our doctor wants us to use it. 

I still have him on the slow flow bottle.  Maybe I'll switch him to a faster flow.  Is that what you are suggesting? 

I don't do a dream feed.  I just got the baby whisperer book a few weeks ago a read about the dream feed.  So I started it.  It didn't help at all.  It seemed to disturb his sleep enough that he would be up more often in the night when I did a dream feed.  So instead of doing a dream feed, I figured I might as well let him wake up on his own about that time anyway and feed.  I don't do a good job staying up until 10:30 or so.  Sometimes I'm in bed between 9:30 and 10:00.

Thanks for the suggestion.  I will try a faster flowing nipple and look on that site you suggested!
KTH

[* Paula *]

Yes definitely try a faster flow teat and see how your lo copes with it.

How long did you stick with trying to implement the dreamfeed?  It can take up to a week or more to be sucessful.

Let us know how you get on with the faster flow teat.

Paula x

[Grace's Mom]

My dd was starting to eat really slow when we switched formulas a good while back.  We went to stage 3 nipples and she drank them down great. We also have never done the dream feed because it made her wake up 3 X's as much so now she wakes once at around 5am to eat.  I wish we could do a df and not have to wake until 7am.  Good luck with it all. I just wanted you to know that you are not alone.  You lo will eat more and I bet once he starts eating more during the day one of those night feeds will dissapear eventually. 

Mel